President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised the strong and historic relations between Uganda and China, describing China as a reliable partner that has consistently supported Uganda’s development and economic transformation.

The President made the remarks today at State House, Entebbe while meeting Mr. Losang Jamcan, the Special Envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who represented the Chinese leader at President Museveni’s recent inauguration ceremony.

Mr. Losang conveyed President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message to President Museveni upon his re-election and reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Uganda.

“His Excellency Xi Jinping asked me to represent him at your inauguration ceremony and convey his warm congratulations,” Mr. Losang said.

He commended President Museveni for his leadership, saying Uganda had made significant progress in peace, stability and development under his stewardship.

“We listened to your remarks and found them very impressive. Under your leadership, Uganda has followed a path of independence and achieved tremendous progress in peace and development,” he said.

The Chinese envoy also noted that President Museveni continued to enjoy widespread support from Ugandans, attributing it to his leadership and contribution to the country’s stability.

“You won by a large margin and this shows the respect and love the people of Uganda have for you,” he added.

Mr. Losang described President Museveni as “an old and good friend of the Chinese people”, noting that the Ugandan leader had consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of China’s development path and international outlook.

He said relations between Uganda and China had continued to grow stronger in recent years under the guidance of Presidents Museveni and Xi Jinping.

“China is ready to continue working with Uganda to implement the outcomes of our cooperation and further strengthen our partnership,” he said.

On regional and international affairs, the Chinese envoy said China appreciated President Museveni’s position on global peace efforts, particularly his advocacy for dialogue in resolving conflicts in the Middle East.

He noted that China remained committed to working with Uganda in promoting peace, development and cooperation across Africa.

In his remarks, President Museveni thanked President Xi Jinping for sending a special envoy to attend the ceremony and applauded China for deepening economic cooperation with Uganda.

“I want to thank His Excellency Xi Jinping for sending you here. We are very happy with China, especially after opening your market to zero-tax access. Many Chinese companies are now investing in Uganda,” President Museveni said.

The President said Uganda’s relationship with China dates back several decades and has remained strong throughout the years.

“We have been working with China for a very long time. Our leaders interacted with China even during the struggle for freedom. For more than 70 years, we have been together with the new China,” he said.

President Museveni also reiterated Uganda’s position on global conflicts, emphasizing dialogue over confrontation.

He revealed that during Uganda’s current tenure as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), different global powers have been pressuring Uganda to take sides on the Iran issue, but the country instead advocated for peaceful engagement.